For a child with dyslexia, a page in a book can look like a puzzle whose pieces are hard to put in the right place. These difficulties do not reflect intelligence, learning capacity, or interest in school activities; they are linked to a particular way the brain processes written language.
A child with dyslexia may understand information very well, have complex ideas and strong cognitive resources, yet still need more time and adapted strategies to turn letters and words into accessible, fluent information.
Correctly understanding dyslexia is the first step toward identifying the child's needs and offering appropriate support so they can make the most of their potential.
Dyslexia: key points for understanding the difficulty
Dyslexia is a specific learning disorder of neurobiological origin that mainly affects the ability to read fluently and accurately, as well as decoding and writing skills. It is not related to intelligence—many dyslexic children have average or above-average intellect—but to how the brain processes speech sounds and links them to written letters.
The main cause of dyslexia lies in phonological processing: difficulty breaking words into individual sounds and connecting those sounds to the corresponding written symbols. This "mismatch" between sound and letter makes reading slow, tiring, and often frustrating.
Dyslexia and intelligence: two distinct concepts
One of the most persistent myths about dyslexia is that it reflects low intellectual ability. Neuroimaging studies show, however, that in people with dyslexia certain brain areas involved in language processing work differently—not deficiently. Many people with dyslexia develop remarkable compensatory strengths in visual thinking, creativity, problem-solving, or spatial reasoning.
Research in neuropsychology and neuroimaging has highlighted particularities in how brain networks involved in reading and language processing function and are organized—especially those that support phonological processing and the link between speech sounds and written symbols.
In other words, the difficulty does not arise because the person "is not intelligent enough", but because certain processes needed to automate reading develop and function differently.
This explains why a child with dyslexia may understand a story very well when listening, have a rich vocabulary, form complex ideas, and find ingenious solutions, yet struggle when reading the same text alone. Understanding and fluently decoding written words are distinct processes, and in dyslexia the gap between them can be clear.
What do brain imaging studies show, concretely?
Research over the past two decades using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has identified a relatively consistent pattern in people with dyslexia: weaker activation of the left superior temporal gyrus and the left temporo-parietal region—areas essential for phonological processing and for connecting spoken sounds with written letters.
In parallel, some studies have observed increased compensatory activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus (associated with Broca's area), as if the brain were "recruiting" extra resources to compensate for less efficient processing in the temporal areas.
Neuroplasticity: the role of intervention in dyslexia
Neuroscience research has shown that specialized interventions can produce changes in the brain networks involved in reading and language processing. After intensive, structured intervention programmes, neuroimaging studies have identified changes in brain activation patterns associated with improved reading skills.
These findings reflect the principle of neuroplasticity: the brain's capacity to adapt and reorganize how it functions in response to learning and experience. Early, systematic intervention adapted to the child's profile can support the development and consolidation of the mechanisms needed for efficient processing of written language.
Warning signs: what should parents and teachers notice?
Signs associated with dyslexia can vary with the child's age and developmental stage. Early identification of persistent difficulties allows for appropriate assessment and, when needed, early intervention.
In the preschool years, difficulties may appear in phonological awareness, recognizing and producing rhymes, identifying sounds in words, learning and remembering letters, or linking them to the corresponding sounds. Vocabulary acquisition and use, or remembering verbal sequences, may also be affected.
At school age, difficulties become clearer as academic demands increase. Slow, hesitant reading, frequent decoding errors, trouble gaining fluency, persistent spelling problems, and greater effort on reading and writing tasks may appear. The child may also tend to avoid reading activities or feel fatigue and frustration around them.
In adolescence and adulthood, difficulties may become less obvious thanks to compensatory strategies. Reduced reading speed, spelling and written-expression organization difficulties, and considerable effort with large volumes of text may persist. In some situations, the person may avoid reading aloud or other contexts where difficulties become visible.
Diagnosing dyslexia: why a comprehensive assessment matters
Dyslexia is not diagnosed from a single sign or an isolated test. It requires a complex, multidimensional assessment by specialists. This looks at reading and writing skills as well as the cognitive and linguistic processes involved in acquiring them—such as phonological awareness, processing and naming speed, working memory, reading accuracy and fluency, decoding, spelling, and text comprehension.
Assessment outlines the child's individual profile, highlighting both specific difficulties and the cognitive strengths on which intervention can later build.
Early and accurate identification makes it possible to set an intervention plan adapted to the child's needs and to access appropriate educational measures.
At the same time, it can protect emotional balance by preventing repeated school difficulties from being interpreted as a lack of ability, and by reducing the risk of performance anxiety, avoidance behaviours, and lowered self-esteem.
Dyslexia and its impact on emotional development
From a psychological perspective, the impact of dyslexia can go beyond academic performance, affecting self-esteem, motivation to learn, and the child's emotional balance.
Persistent difficulties with reading and writing—especially when effort does not lead to the expected results—can generate frustration, performance anxiety, and a reduced sense of competence. Frequent comparison with others may lead the child to interpret their difficulties as a personal limitation, with negative effects on self-image and confidence in their own abilities.
For this reason, intervention should not focus only on reading and writing skills. Psychological support, alongside specialized educational intervention, can help strengthen self-esteem, manage anxiety, and develop adaptive ways of relating to school difficulties.
A message for parents: dyslexia does not define a child's potential!
Perhaps the most important thing we can tell a worried parent is that dyslexia does not limit a child's potential—it simply asks for a different path to the same destinations. With early diagnosis, appropriate support, and, above all, understanding and patience from the adults around them, children with dyslexia can have school and professional journeys every bit as successful as any other child.
Cătălina Șuică, Autonomous clinical psychologist and Adlerian psychotherapist